Love Is

Your vision will become clear only
when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams.
Who looks inside, awakens.

-- Carl G. Jung

Love is the Manifester - the creator of all things lasting. Love is the Sustainer - nutrition for the soul. Love is the Transformer - the power of the healer. Love reveals - seek consciously and learn.

Sages and theologians have pointed to love as the ultimate power. Some say, "God is love." The songs we listen to and the poetry and novels we read exalt love. It's easy to overlook because it is so common. Permutations are everywhere - we seem to be bathing in a plastic vat of it.

I've learned to tune love out for many situations in my life. Much of it seems adulterated, veiled or manipulative. I'm careful about what I let in and what I let out. I have a mental image of a brilliantly glowing light-furnace in my chest that is encased in a volcanic rock-like crust. I want some chosen few to see it and share its warmth in some carefully constrained way - it's been hidden from others.

I've wondered why. Love can be misguided, abused and perceived as weakness. And, of course, there is the heartache that might lead one to reject it. Yet, I think my own turn from love started very early. I remember walking with my mother to my first day of kindergarten. As we approached the school, I turned and calmly informed her that she could go home. "I don't need you anymore." It was the early rejection of mother love - the separation, the strengthening of me as a discrete being.

The nice thing about mother love is that it continues to radiate in the face of adversity. In fact, Mother Love is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. It's a force we can all tap into whether or not you're a mother. You don't have to get it from anyone else, though it's certainly nice to receive.

But, love dissolves ego and ego rebels. The egoic rebellion -- the desire to separate and be special. Love works to bring beings together -- that can feel challenging or threatening for the unrefined ego. It makes one vulnerable. So love gets compartmentalized - saved for a few who are trusted. One can sort of fake it for the rest.

Boys, particularly, are often conditioned to be tough. Love becomes a weakness. It's hard to be competitive when you love your competitor. It's hard to win when it means someone you love will lose. It's hard to be better when others you love are then worse by comparison. It's hard to look cool when you love your mother. It's hard to make soldiers out of young men who are filled with love. So many of us were hardened. Society showed us the way and we learned how to shelve love in order to compete, get things done, or fight for our country.

Our world is paying for this.

Realizations surface around love in my meditations. There's a powerful magic here - the most profound that I have encountered. It's something that has been right in front of me all my life though I failed to grasp its significance. What I primarily wanted to do at this time is pass on the realization that there is a pure love (more than one, actually) and it empowers the manifester, the transformer, and the healer. It's similar to an energy field and it's real rather than abstract. You can tune your mind/body to it and direct it. You can receive it and transmit it.

It's something you might want to contemplate for yourself. Tune in to receive love and let it radiate from you to others. Align consciousness with it, manifest with it, transform with it, heal with it and, importantly, don't abuse it.

3 comments:

Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speaks with the music of praise for their creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to his children? Henceforth will I remember this secret and it will change my life.I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I act? I will love all manners of men for each has qualities to be admired even though they be hidden. With love I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have built around their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls.

I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me; I will love the failures for they can teach me. I will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the rich for they are yet lonely; I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the faith they hold; I will love the old for the wisdom they share. I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls of peace.I will greet this day with love in my heart.

But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains. My shield will protect me in the market place and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exultation. It will become stronger and more protective with use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of men and, when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid of life.I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I confront each whom I meet? In only one way. In silence and to myself I will address him and say I Love You. Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkle my brow, bring a smile to my lips and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened. And who is there who will say nay to my goods when his heart feels my love?I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul and my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.I will greet this day with love in my heart.

Henceforth will I love all mankind. From this moment all hate is let from my veins for I have not time to hate, only time to love. From this moment I take the first step required to become a man among men. With love I will increase my sales a hundred fold and become a great salesman. If I have no other qualities I can succeed with love alone. Without it I will fail though I possess all the knowledge and skills of the world.

Your latest blog entry reminded me of the Og Mandino's book, The Greatest Salesman in the World. I doubt that you've read it, but it's about a discovery of a set ofscrolls of ancient wisdom. Here's Scroll II:

"The Scroll Marked II"

"The Greatest Secret in the World"Og MandinoI will greet this day with love in my heart.

For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force.

My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay.I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I speak? I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am moved to praise I will shout from the roofs.